Device for removing shaved beard and cooling shaver

ABSTRACT

A suction device for collecting and removing shaved beard and for cooling the shaving elements of an electric shaver, comprising in combination a trough for cut hair under the shaving elements, a hair suction fan, a diffuser, a centrifugal separator for said cut hair, a hair collecting chamber provided with a discharge door, and an ejection duct extending from the separator and terminating at a point adjacent to the shaving elements for directing air driven into the separator by the suction fan to the shaving elements to cool the elements and the skin of a person using the shaver.

United States Patent Battigalli [54] DEVICE FOR REMOVING SHAVED BEARD AND COOLING SHAVER [72] Inventor: Giancarlo Battigalli, Milan, Italy [73] Assignee: Mistrelettrica S.R.L., Milan, Italy [22] Filed: Mar. 7, 1969 [2]] Appl. No.: 805,171

[451 Jan. 18, 1972 Primary Examiner-Granville Y. Custer, Jr. AttorneyFinnegan, Henderson & Farabow [5 7] ABSTRACT A suction device for collecting and removing shaved beard and for cooling the shaving elements of an electric shaver, comprising in combination a trough for cut hair under the shaving elements, a hair suction fan, a diffuser, a centrifugal separator for said out hair, a hair collecting chamber provided with a discharge door, and an ejection duct extending from the separator and terminating at a point adjacent to the shaving elements for directing air driven into the separator by the suction fan to the shaving elements to cool the elements and the skin of a person using the shaver.

16 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENIEnJuwmz SHEET 2 BF 4 FIG. 3.

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503 573 H58. T 511 ,503 A x UT L 505 GIANCARLO BATTIGALLI INVENTOR ATTORNEYZ PATENTED M18872 3.634.935

EMU '4 G? 4 FIG. 9

DEVICE FOR REMOVING SIIAVED BEARD AND COOLING SHAVER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a suction device for collecting and removing shaved beard and for cooling the shaving elements of an electric shaver.

It is well known that one of the main drawbacks of the prior art electric shavers of the comb and blade type is to require frequent cleaning of the comb and blade unit, even after every shaving operation, to remove the cut hair accumulated under the comb.

Another inconvenience of these shavers is the tendency of the blades to heat the comb because of their rapid motion, causing reddening of the users skin, especially during the warm period of the year.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a suction device which removes cut hair from the comb and blade group, so as to keep them always clean.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a centrifugal separator in combination with the suction device, separating hair particles to be discharged from air, the latter being returned by a vortex system to the shaver head for cooling the shaving elements and the user's skin.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a collecting chamber where cut hair particles are kept until a discharge door is opened for their removal at the desired moment.

The device according to the present invention makes easier cleaning of the electric shaver and more comfortable the shaving operation, especially in the warm months when the comb tends to heat because of its sliding contact with the shaving elements.

In the warm months the shaving operation hitherto was rather troublesome because the users skin tends to become sweaty and to redden because of the heating of the motor and of the shaving group. The feature of having at disposal the cooling means of the present invention will obviate this inconvenience of electric shaving.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The suction device for collecting and removing shaved beard and for cooling the shaving elements according to the present invention will be now described in detail in a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of nonlimiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partially sectioned, with some parts exploded, of the whole device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the vortex centrifugal separator;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the same separator, but seetioned and turned at 90 in respect of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the same centrifugal separator;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are plan and lateral views, respectively, of the centrifugal fan wheel;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are plan and sectional (taken along line A-A of FIG. 7) views, respectively, of the volute diffuser; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of an electric shaver illustrating the device of FIG. I mounted within the housing of the shaver.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The following components will now be described in detail under discrete paragraphs, said components being also illustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings and forming the suction device of the present invention: cut hair picking trough 501, funnel 502, centrifugal fan with volute diffuser 503 and wheel 504, vortex centrifugal separator 506, separator cover 507, cut hair collecting chamber 508, bottom discharge door 509 and filtering fabric 510. As shown in FIG.

9, the components of the suction device can be mounted completely within housing 102 of an electric shaver to provide a compact shaver construction.

Picking trough-As indicated by the term, this trough 50] is so designed as to collect the cut hair falling down from the shaving elements of the shaver and to convey it to the centrifugal fan 503. This trough 501 could also be provided by the properly molded or shaped top portion of the shaver housing. Funnel-The funnel 502 has a very flattened shape. The cut hair conveyed by trough 501 falls on said funnel 502. As it is located close to the suction inlet 511 of the fan, the conical surface of funnel 502 is struck by an air stream entraining cut hair into the fan.

Centrifugal-A fan of the suction type has been chosen. At the outlet from blading 512 of wheel 504 air is picked by a spiral (volute) diffuser 503, wherein the fluid threads are following a logarithmic spiral path. The inner shape of this diffuser, as shown in the drawings, is an Archimedean spiral 513 (FIG. 7) with a progressive radius change every subsequent (R =10.71; Rg=12-14; R =13.57; R =15) with where D wheel outer diameter C radial component of the blading output true speed C tangential component of the blading output true speed b= distance between the two volute walls I= height of the wheel blades the ratio 1/b has been chosen to be about 0.5 as blades are tapering from center toward periphery. The cross section of the outlet 505 is circular and has a diameter equal in the distance between the two flat walls of volute503. Suction inlet 511 has an annular cross section, as for structural requirements, a drive shaft A must cross the fan and extends upwards to control the shaving group of the shaver, projecting from an electrical motor M arranged below the fan.

Referring to FIG. 9, electrical motor M is mounted in a vertical position within shaver housing I02 and drive shaft A is rotatably connected to the motor. The drive shaft extends upward through central openings formed in diffuser 503, funnel 502, and trough 50]. An eccentric 201 is mounted on the end of shaft A for engaging an oscillator unit comprising a swinging plate 203 pivotally supported by a pair of swinging arms 204 which, in turn, are pivotally connected to a pair of supporting plates 205 mounted on shaver housing 102. This oscillator unit is disclosed in detail in copending US. application Ser. No. 805,172 of the same applicant, filed on Mar. 7, I969, and entitled Drive System for Controlling Motion of the Shaving Elements of an Electric Shaver. The oscillator unit is connected to cutting elements 105 of the shaver by T-shaped pins 207 mounted on swinging plate 203 and received in corresponding openings formed in the cutting elements. A set of coil springs 210 wound around pins 207 urge cutting elements 105 upward relative to swinging plate 203.

Centrifugal fan wheel-A type of wheel 504 has been chosen, which is suitable for mean deliveries and high number of revolutions per minute. Now, using the following symbols:

V Tip speed at the inlet triangle (see FIG. 5)

V Tip speed at the outlet triangle C, true speed of air impacting blading C true speed of air coming out from blading W, velocity of air flowing on the input blade W velocity of air flowing on the output blade The theoretical pressure is given by the formula where the first term is the pressure due to the centrifugal force, the second term is the pressure due to air true speed, the third term is the velocity acquired by air in the blade duct, and g=9.81 is the acceleration of gravity.

Using blades with a radial outlet (/3 =90), total pressure will be in fact, C-}=V +W so that 0.87 -0.077 m. an column corresponding to 0.0771 .2=0. l m water column, having assumed specific gravity of air, equal to 1.2 Kgjm Input angle B, has been assumed to be The wheel blades may be concave (as shown) or convex in the direction of rotation.

Vortex centrifugal separator-The separator 506 is a cylindrical body having an elliptic cross section. Its lower part is tapered and extends in a tube 514 connecting the separator with the particles collecting chamber. In the upper part there is the connection with the fan, provided by a duct 515 having a rectangular cross section gradually decreasing in the direction of the outlet 505 ofthe fan volute 503.

Separator coverThe cover 507 is comprised of an upper flat plate 516 covering the centrifugal separator, a tube 517 having an elliptic cross section coaxially arranged in the cylindrical body ofthe separator 506, and an ejection duct 518 for the air freed in the separator from the hair particles and collected by the tube 517. This duct 518 is connected to a suitable seat provided in the shaver head for directing said cooling air toward the shaving elements and the user's skin. As shown in FIG. 9, ejection duct 518 extends vertically upward from separator 506 through bores formed in shaver housing 102 and terminates at a point adjacent to shaving elements 105 of the shaver. The tube 517 has such a length that an excessive deceleration of the mixture of air and particles is prevented and its lower end is located at the center of the vortex created in the separator.

Hair collecting chamber-The collecting chamber 508 is designed so as to allow an easy storage of the hair particles and to prevent the upward bounce of said particles which could be drawn by the ascensional stream due to the vortex in the separator.

Discharge door-The bottom discharge door 509 isprovided with a release frame connected to a button (not shown). The frame holds the door in the closed position until the button is not pressed. Suitable springs (not shown) act on the release frame and push outwards the button so as to give an elastic return. The discharge door is provided with a plurality of little perforations (not shown) allowing discharge of air which is compressed in the chamber 508 together with the hair particles.

Filtering fabric-A pad 510 made of foamed polyurethane of high density (45 kg./cm. partially hinders air discharge and totally prevents discharge of hair particles when door 509 is closed, so as to allow the above-mentioned discharge of air overpressure created in the collecting chamber 508.

The operation of the suction device of the present invention will be described in detail as applied to clean and cool the shaving elements disclosed in copending US. application Ser. No. 805.]70 ofthe same Applicant filed on Mar. 7, I969. entitled: Shaving unit for electric shaver." Referring to FIG. 9. on the bottom part of shaving elements I05 there are holes (not shown) through which the cut hair falls in the trough 50!. Through the central hole ofsaid trough and the subjacent funnel 502 said cut hair are conveyed to the suction inlet 51] of the centrifugal fan. The mixture of air and cut hair is introduced into the centrifugal separator 506. The velocity of air entering the separator is the minimum required to convey the cut hair to be separated.

Air enters tangentially the top portion of the centrifugal separator and acquires a rotary motion. The hair particles are urged by the centrifugal force on the separator walls and move downwards remaining adherent to said walls. At the same time air acquires a whirling movement and goes up again through the duct 517 arranged in the separator cover 507. On the contrary, the cut hair goes down in the collecting chamber 508 where they are stored until the lower discharge door 509 is opened for their removal. in opposition to what one could expect, the efficiency of separation of cut hair from air does not increase together with the centrifugal force imparted to the hair particles, but is exclusively bound to the creation ofa vortex in the separator.

Since the air rotary motion should be as slow as possible, the duct 515 connecting the centrifugal suction fan to the separator 506 is gradually flaring or enlarged toward the separator. so that velocity decreases and air pressure is increased.

With such a feature, that is the air speed reduction at the separator entrance, part of the air kinetic energy is converted into corresponding static pressure. The shape of the entrance duct 515 is designed so as to avoid deposit of particles at the separator inlet. Air enters tangentially in the relatively long cylindrical body of the separator 506 and while cut hair goes down to the collecting chamber 508, the circulation air is conveyed, in the direction contrary to that of rotation to a suitable bore provided in the shaver head for directing said air toward the shaving elements and the users skin so as to cool and refresh the skin in the area where the shaver is operating.

A variant of the illustrated system of collecting and discharging hair particles could be the following: from the centrifugal fan the hair particles are conveyed to a lateral collecting chamber where they are kept until a button is actuated, opening a lateral door. The collecting chamber isjoined to the shaver by the frame. Springs allow a snap movement of the button and of the door. Of course, the lateral position of the door may be in any suitable point of the outer housing of the electric shaver.

Other modifications of the device of the present invention could be the following: the wheel of the fan may have a different number of blades, and may be arranged in a suitable seat in the shaver housing instead of being enclosed in a spiral diffuser. The centrifugal separator, instead of being cylindrical, could be gradually tapering downwards like an extended funnel.

Although the device of the present invention has been described as applied to a particular type of shaving elements, as above indicated it is to be understood that it may be easily applied with few obvious changes to the prior art electric shavers without departing from the field of the invention.

it is also to be understood that sizes, materials and digital data are given only for a complete illustration of the preferred embodiment, and that many variations and modifications may be resorted to without departing from spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A suction device for collecting and removing shaved beard and for cooling the shaving elements of an electric shaver, comprising in combination a trough for cut hair under the shaving elements, a hair suction fan for drawing air and cut hair through said trough, a diffuser wherein said suction fan is mounted for receiving the air and cut hair drawn by said suctioa fan, a centrifugal separator connected to said diffuser for separating said cut hair from the air, and a hair collecting chamber connected to said separator, said chamber being provided with a discharge door to permit cut hair to be removed from said chamber, and said separator including an ejection duct extending therefrom and terminating at a point adjacent to the shaving elements for directing air driven into said separator by said suction fan to said shaving elements to cool said elements and the skin of a person using the shaver.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the centrifugal fan sucking the hair particles comprises a wheel provided with blade concave in the direction of rotation, and with radial output, and a spiral volute diffuser where the air fluid threads, mixed with the hair particles, follow a logarithmic spiral path clue to the diffuser shape and the velocity imposed by the wheel blades.

3. A device according to claim I, wherein the centrifugal separator is of the vortex type with tangential inlet of the mixture of air and hair particles, the centrifugal force in said separator causing said hair particles to adhere to the separator walls and to go down for accumulating in said hair collecting chamber.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein said centrifugal separator has a cover provided with a tube coaxial with the separator body and conveying the air freed from hair particles to the shaver head for cooling purposes.

5. A device according to claim 1 wherein the hair collecting chamber has a sloping passage communicating with the end portion of the separator, so that the hair particles are kept in said chamber up to opening of the discharge door, so as to make easier storage of said particles and to prevent their upward return due to the ascensional stream created by the vortex in the separator.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein the discharge door closing the collecting chamber during the shaving operation and bleeding it when a suitable button is actuated, is provided with a pad of filtering material holding the hair particles but allowing passage of a part of the air compressed in the bottom of the collecting chamber, said air being discharged to the outside through suitable perforations made in the door.

7. A device according to claim 1, comprising means conveying the hair particles directly from the fan to a collecting chamber, arranged in any suitable side or bottom position on the shaver, where particles are kept until the discharge door is opened.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein the centrifugal fan comprises a wheel having blades convex in the direction of rotation.

9. A device for cooling the shaving elements of an electric shaver and for collecting and removing cut hair from the shaving elements, which comprises:

a trough for receiving cut hair from the shaving elements;

suction means for drawing air through said trough to remove cut hair from the shaving elements;

a separator connected to said suction means for separating the cut hair from the air drawn by said suction means; and means connected to said separator for directing air drawn by said suction means toward the shaving elements.

10. The device of claim 9, which includes a hair collecting chamber connected to said separator for accumulating cut hair, said chamber having a discharge door to permit the cut hair to be removed from said chamber.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein said discharge door is provided with perforations to allow air to discharge from said hair collecting chamber.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein said separator comprises a vortex centrifugal separator having a tangential inlet for receiving air and cut hair from said suction means, said centrifugal separator having cylindrical walls to impart rotary motion to the air to urge the cut hair by centrifugal force against the walls and downward toward said hair collecting chamber.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein said means for directing air toward the shaving elements comprises a tube extending coaxially into said separator having an ejection duct directed toward the shaving elements.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein said suction means coma zl i ffuser having an inlet located adjacent to said trough and an outlet connected to said separator; and

a suction fan mounted within said diffuser for drawing air into said diffuser to remove cut hair from the shaving elements.

15. The device of claim 14, which includes a duct for connecting the outlet of said diffuser to said separator, said duct having a gradually decreasing cross section in the direction from said separator to said diffuser.

16. The device of claim 9, which includes a funnel interposed between said trough and said suction means. 

1. A suction device for collecting and removing shaved beard and for cooling the shaving elements of an electric shaver, comprising in combination a trough for cut hair under the shaving elements, a hair suction fan for drawing air and cut hair through saiD trough, a diffuser wherein said suction fan is mounted for receiving the air and cut hair drawn by said suction fan, a centrifugal separator connected to said diffuser for separating said cut hair from the air, and a hair collecting chamber connected to said separator, said chamber being provided with a discharge door to permit cut hair to be removed from said chamber, and said separator including an ejection duct extending therefrom and terminating at a point adjacent to the shaving elements for directing air driven into said separator by said suction fan to said shaving elements to cool said elements and the skin of a person using the shaver.
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the centrifugal fan sucking the hair particles comprises a wheel provided with blade concave in the direction of rotation, and with radial output, and a spiral volute diffuser where the air fluid threads, mixed with the hair particles, follow a logarithmic spiral path due to the diffuser shape and the velocity imposed by the wheel blades.
 3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the centrifugal separator is of the vortex type with tangential inlet of the mixture of air and hair particles, the centrifugal force in said separator causing said hair particles to adhere to the separator walls and to go down for accumulating in said hair collecting chamber.
 4. A device according to claim 3, wherein said centrifugal separator has a cover provided with a tube coaxial with the separator body and conveying the air freed from hair particles to the shaver head for cooling purposes.
 5. A device according to claim 1 wherein the hair collecting chamber has a sloping passage communicating with the end portion of the separator, so that the hair particles are kept in said chamber up to opening of the discharge door, so as to make easier storage of said particles and to prevent their upward return due to the ascensional stream created by the vortex in the separator.
 6. A device according to claim 1, wherein the discharge door closing the collecting chamber during the shaving operation and bleeding it when a suitable button is actuated, is provided with a pad of filtering material holding the hair particles but allowing passage of a part of the air compressed in the bottom of the collecting chamber, said air being discharged to the outside through suitable perforations made in the door.
 7. A device according to claim 1, comprising means conveying the hair particles directly from the fan to a collecting chamber, arranged in any suitable side or bottom position on the shaver, where particles are kept until the discharge door is opened.
 8. A device according to claim 1, wherein the centrifugal fan comprises a wheel having blades convex in the direction of rotation.
 9. A device for cooling the shaving elements of an electric shaver and for collecting and removing cut hair from the shaving elements, which comprises: a trough for receiving cut hair from the shaving elements; suction means for drawing air through said trough to remove cut hair from the shaving elements; a separator connected to said suction means for separating the cut hair from the air drawn by said suction means; and means connected to said separator for directing air drawn by said suction means toward the shaving elements.
 10. The device of claim 9, which includes a hair collecting chamber connected to said separator for accumulating cut hair, said chamber having a discharge door to permit the cut hair to be removed from said chamber.
 11. The device of claim 10, wherein said discharge door is provided with perforations to allow air to discharge from said hair collecting chamber.
 12. The device of claim 9, wherein said separator comprises a vortex centrifugal separator having a tangential inlet for receiving air and cut hair from said suction means, said centrifugal separator having cylindrical walls to impart rotary motion to the air to urge the cut hair by centrifugal force against the wAlls and downward toward said hair collecting chamber.
 13. The device of claim 9, wherein said means for directing air toward the shaving elements comprises a tube extending coaxially into said separator having an ejection duct directed toward the shaving elements.
 14. The device of claim 9, wherein said suction means comprises: a diffuser having an inlet located adjacent to said trough and an outlet connected to said separator; and a suction fan mounted within said diffuser for drawing air into said diffuser to remove cut hair from the shaving elements.
 15. The device of claim 14, which includes a duct for connecting the outlet of said diffuser to said separator, said duct having a gradually decreasing cross section in the direction from said separator to said diffuser.
 16. The device of claim 9, which includes a funnel interposed between said trough and said suction means. 